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cnbc.com
Warner Bros. Discovery says Paramount made higher bid, board will weigh offer against Netflix deal
If WBD deems the new Paramount offer superior, Netflix will have four days to improve its previously agreed-upon bid.
theguardian.com
Overcoming the angst of auto-renewal | Letters
Readers respond to Adrian Chiles’s column about needing to keep an eye on the cost of services regularly paid forRe: Adrian Chiles’s column (My breakdown cover was extortionate – and that taught me an important lesson, 18 February). My dad was a member of the AA for 60 years and called them out about once a decade in all that time. When he died last year aged 91, we noticed, like Chiles, that the premiums were very high, and rang to move the account to my mother’s name and see if we could reduce the cost. The answer (without any condolences or recognition of Dad’s loyalty to the brand) was: “No.” Unsurprisingly, we are no longer with the AA.Louisa ClarkeHenley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire• Adrian Chiles has fallen foul, like most of us, to pernicious insurance auto-renewal. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Home Depot tops earnings estimates for the first time in a year as demand for projects remains muted
Home Depot beat fiscal fourth-quarter earnings expectations after missing estimates the prior three quarters.
theguardian.com
Donald Trump’s new 10% global tariff comes into effect
US president had said he would raise levy to 15% after last week’s supreme court rulingBusiness live – latest updatesDonald Trump’s new global tariffs have taken effect at 10%, even though he had threatened a higher rate of 15% last weekend, providing “some relief” for British businesses, according to a lobby group.After the US president suffered a defeat at the hands of the supreme court on Friday, which struck down his sweeping “liberation day” tariffs imposed last year, he angrily reacted by announcing a 10% global tariff, which he raised to 15% on Saturday in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Trump's new tariff comes into effect at lower than expected rate
The global levy comes in at 10%, lower than the rate the president had threatened at the weekend.
cnbc.com
Software stocks rebound as Anthropic announces new partnerships
Cybersecurity and software names have sold off heavily in recent weeks as investors fretted about potential disruption from artificial intelligence.
cnbc.com
Classic 'TACO'? Investors shrug off Trump's latest tariff announcement
Global equity markets were muted as Trump’s latest tariffs came into effect at 10%, a lower-than-expected rate.
cnbc.com
Epstein files highlight how the wealthy borrow against art collections
Art loans are typically used by the wealthy to provide ready cash, leverage financial investments and avoid hefty tax bills.
cnbc.com
European stocks finish higher as Trump's tariffs take effect at lower than expected 10%
European stocks closed higher on Tuesday as investors assessed the new global trading landscape after President Donald Trump's tariffs move.
cnbc.com
Novo Nordisk to slash GLP-1 list prices by up to 50% in U.S. to cut costs for insured patients
The cuts aim to make the drugs more accessible to insured patients, particularly people with high-deductible health plans or coinsurance benefit designs.
cnbc.com
Epstein files: DOJ may have withheld FBI interviews with Trump accuser, Rep. Garcia says
President Donald Trump last week said the files on Jeffrey Epstein released by the Department of Justice had "totally exonerated" him.
bbc.com
What does the new law on school uniforms mean in Northern Ireland?
BBC News NI having been looking at they key aspects of the new guidelines.
cnbc.com
Fed's Goolsbee calls for a hold on cuts as current rate of inflation is 'not good enough'
The Chicago Fed president said Tuesday that cuts aren't appropriate until there's more evidence that inflation is on its way down.
cnbc.com
Bitcoin extends decline, falling below $63,000 before paring some losses
Bitcoin tumbled more than 5% to fall below $63,000 on Tuesday as investors continued to grapple with escalating tariff tensions and broader geopolitical risks.
cnbc.com
Meta strikes AI chip deal with AMD days after committing to deploy millions of Nvidia GPUs
AMD has secured Meta as a customer for its Helios rack-scale system, as Nvidia's Blackwell faces heightened competition.
cnbc.com
Panama cancels China-linked port deal, hands canal terminals to Maersk, MSC
The simmering dispute has become a geopolitical flashpoint between Washington and Beijing, with Panama caught in the crossfire.
cnbc.com
IBM is the latest AI casualty. Shares tank 13% on Anthropic programming language threat
COBOL is a computer language used for business data processing and IBM is a leader in that area.
theguardian.com
‘A feedback loop with no brake’: how an AI doomsday report shook US markets
Shares in Uber, Mastercard and American Express fall on back of apocalypse scenario posted on Substack US stock markets have been hit by a further wave of AI jitters, this time from yet another viral – and completely speculative – warning about the impact of the technology on the world’s largest economy.The latest foreboding is from Citrini Research, a little-known US firm that provides insights on “transformative ‘megatrends’”. Its post on Substack, which it called a “scenario, not a prediction”, rattled investors by portraying a near future in which autonomous AI systems – or agents – upend the entire US economy, from jobs to markets and mortgages. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK’s biggest student housing provider hit by fall in international enrolment
Unite Group cuts rents at some universities and raises cash by selling London site to joint venture for £186mBusiness live – latest updatesA drop in the number of international students coming to the UK has hit the student housing provider Unite Group, which lowered its profit outlook for the third time in four months as weaker demand prompted it to cut rents in some cities.Shares in the FTSE 250-listed company – which says it is the UK’s biggest student housing provider – fell more than 12% to the lowest level since early 2015. It said it would build far less student housing, after the completion of Hawthorne House in Stratford with 719 beds, expected in June. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Anthropic updates Claude Cowork tool built to give the average office worker a productivity boost
Companies can connect Claude Cowork to existing tools like Google Drive, Gmail and DocuSign.
theguardian.com
AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot’s pay rises to £17.7m
Increase of 6.4% comes as drugmaker reports strong profit growth, despite cancelling UK investment projectsBusiness live – latest updatesPascal Soriot, the chief executive of Britain’s largest pharmaceutical company, received a 6.4% pay rise last year, taking his total remuneration to £17.7m.The AstraZeneca boss is in line for a further increase this year, potentially making him the UK’s highest-paid chief executive once again. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video to come under stricter regulation in UK
Streaming giants will be subject to same Ofcom scrutiny as traditional broadcasters such as the BBCNetflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney+ are to come under “enhanced regulation” by the UK media regulator, Ofcom, making the streaming giants subject to the same scrutiny as traditional broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV.Under the new regulatory regime, which will also apply to public service broadcaster (PSB) video-on-demand services such as ITVX and Channel 4, the platforms will have to adhere to regulations relating to accurate and impartial news and protecting audiences from harmful and offensive material. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Reddit fined £14m for 'concerning' child age check failings
The UK's data watchdog said the failings meant children could be exposed to harmful material online.
theguardian.com
Meta agrees $60bn deal with chipmaker AMD despite AI bubble fears
Facebook owner’s investment described by semiconductor company as ‘big bet’ on artificial intelligenceBusiness live – latest updatesThe owner of Facebook has agreed to buy $60bn (£44.5bn) of artificial intelligence chips from the US semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices despite fears over the vast sums being spent on the AI industry.Meta, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, has clinched the five-year deal in which it will also buy 10% of the chip company. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Jamie Dimon says 'watch out’ as lofty asset prices add to economic risks: ‘My anxiety is high’
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is anxious as high asset levels collide with increased competition among lenders and jitters over loans to the software industry.
cnbc.com
Nvidia earnings report collides with Wall Street skepticism over AI spending
Nvidia is the only megacap tech stock to notch gains this year as investors have turned cautious on the hefty amounts of spending on AI infrastructure.
bbc.com
Reform vows to overhaul pension schemes for new local government workers
Reform plans to end more generous defined benefit pension schemes for new local government workers if it wins office.
cnbc.com
Anthropic joins OpenAI in flagging 'industrial-scale' distillation campaigns by Chinese AI firms
Anthropic accused three Chinese artificial intelligence enterprises of engaging in coordinated distillation campaigns, the latest American tech firm to do so.
theguardian.com
Why the student loans row is escalating and what it means for graduates
What is behind the growing anger over plan 2 student loans and what could reforms mean for graduates?Pressure is building on the government to reform the student loans system, with politicians and campaigners piling in, and a minister conceding there are “problems” with the current set-up.Yesterday the consumer champion Martin Lewis – who last month locked horns with Rachel Reeves – became engaged in a war of words with Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, on live TV. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Tesla’s Europe problem keeps getting worse. Here's why
Tesla's new car registrations fell 17% year-on-year in January, marking the 13th consecutive month in which sales have shrunk across Europe.
bbc.com
Chocolate kept in anti-theft boxes as shops warn it's being stolen to order
Retailers and police forces tell the BBC that thieves are targeting chocolate and selling it on.
cnbc.com
Russia's war on Ukraine puts women off having children — and that could spell economic disaster
Four years of war have discouraged Ukrainian and Russian women from having children, and that could impact their economies in the future.
theguardian.com
‘It’s more exciting than Tesco’: can traditional fishing lure Cornwall’s young people?
Taster days and training are offering teenagers an escape from a future of part-time, seasonal work – and giving a boost to a declining industryIt’s mid-morning on a rare calm day in Newlyn, Cornwall. Will Roberts is back at the quayside with a catch of mackerel to unload, having set off from the harbour before dawn. At 22, he is something of a rarity here, one of a handful of young fishers running his own small commercial boat from the port.“It’s a magical feeling when you set out in the dark, with no one else around, and see the Milky Way in the sky above you,” he says. “I couldn’t imagine working in an office or somewhere indoors, and not be surrounded by all of this.”Potential recruits learn more about career opportunities at sea at a taster day for young people in Newlyn Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Oil prices hit seven-month highs as tensions rise before US-Iran talks
Traders appear to be hedging against worst-case scenario of a conflict between the two nations, analyst saysBusiness live – latest updatesOil prices have reached seven-month highs, as traders reacted to heightened tensions between the US and Iran ahead of nuclear talks this week.US crude futures rose to $67.28 a barrel on Monday, while Brent crude touched its highest level since 31 July at $72.50 a barrel. Prices fell back late in the session, but were up again on Tuesday morning, approaching Monday’s highs. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
UK companies seek deeper ties with Europe as Trump tariffs fuel uncertainty, business groups say
U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs measures have thrust British businesses into fresh uncertainty.
cnbc.com
AI robots may outnumber workers in a few decades as firms ramp up investment
"You can already buy a humanoid today, which gives you a payback period versus human workers of less than 10 weeks," a former Citi executive told CNBC.
cnbc.com
Four years into the Ukraine war, is Europe ready for its own army?
Is it time for Europe to take security matters into its own hands?
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Unstable tariff situation and new AI disruption spark market sell-off
Investors lost their sense of security in the business of cybersecurity companies after Anthropic on Friday launched an AI-powered security scanning tool.
theguardian.com
‘People yearn for stability’: the Thames Water sewage plant at frontline of its crisis
Weighed down by underinvestment and uncertainty, staff at Maple Lodge just want to get on with the jobIt is a grey day in a wet week but one of Thames Water’s neglected plants is still coping. Wastewater is being pumped into the vast Maple Lodge sewage treatment centre in Rickmansworth, just off the M25, at a rate of about 3,000 litres a second, within capacity.The site manager points out the first-line screens that catch everything that will not pass through a 5mm filter. A “sheep” – a bundle of wet wipes, sanitary pads, cotton buds, condoms and indigestible bits of sweetcorn – is rotating at one edge. Credit cards and false teeth have been known to end up here. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Asia markets trade mixed after Trump revives tariff threat and AI fears hit tech
China's central bank on Tuesday keeping its benchmark lending rates unchanged at 3% for the one-year LPR and 3.5% for the five-year LPR.
bbc.com
Clothing bank faces closure as donations fall
Clothing Coventry has been operating since 2020, and needs £50,000 a year to keep the doors open.
cnbc.com
Making it rain: Why more and more countries are turning to cloud seeding
Cloud seeding programs are now taking place in more than 50 countries across the globe, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
bbc.com
Number of workers on zero-hours contracts hits record high ahead of crackdown
There has been a 181,000 increase in the number of zero-hours contracts since Labour was elected.
theguardian.com
Criminals ‘systematically’ targeting UK shops, costing £400m last year, say retailers
British Retail Consortium warns over ‘endemic’ violence towards shop workers and says theft is causing anxietyCriminal gangs are “systematically” targeting shops, retailers have warned, with 5.5m incidents of shoplifting detected last year, costing the industry an estimated £400m.The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned over “endemic” violence towards shop workers – who faced an average 36 incidents of violence involving a weapon every day last year – and said high levels of theft was causing “anxiety” among retail staff. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Trump Organization unveils plan for 'Australia's tallest building'
The tower will be built on Queensland's Gold Coast and be 335 metres high, taller than the Shard in London.
cnbc.com
As Wall Street punishes software stocks over AI concerns, Canva gets more acquisitive
Cavalry offers motion graphics tools for designers, while MangoAI could help Canva provide tools for making new video ads.
cnbc.com
Epstein files: Ex-UK ambassador to U.S. Peter Mandelson released on bail after arrest
Mandelson's arrest came days after police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III, on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
theguardian.com
Trump’s scramble to fix his crumbling tariff strategy sows global chaos and confusion
Economies such as the UK, India, Japan and the EU raced to hammer out agreements, but the blanket rate has left them wondering where they stand“America is WINNING again,” Donald Trump declared last week, unveiling the first batch of Japanese-backed projects under a mooted $550bn investment surge into the US as part of his trade pact with Tokyo.After the US president tore up the global economic order in 2025, Japan was one among the countries scrambling to strike a deal. They pledged to dramatically increase investment in the US in exchange for lower US tariffs on Japanese exports. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Why does the RBA only have one blunt tool? We ask the deputy governor - podcast
Reserve Bank of Australia deputy governor Andrew Hauser speaks to economics editor Patrick Commins and business and economics reporter Luca Ittimani about the 2025 surprises that led to the first interest rate rise in two years.Hauser also responds to last week’s criticisms by Tim Wilson, the newly appointed shadow treasurer, that the RBA has not down enough to curb inflation. And we put to the deputy governor your audience questions about house prices, economic inequality and how shoppers can respond when they think companies are ‘taking the p’Read more: Continue reading...
bbc.com
FedEx sues for Trump tariff refund
The US Supreme Court ruling that the US president overstepped when imposing levies paved the way for firms to seek a refund.
cnbc.com
China leaves benchmark lending rates unchanged as Beijing signals tolerance for stronger yuan
China's central bank kept its benchmark lending rates unchanged as Beijing manages a balancing act of supporting a slowing economy while maintaining currency stability.
theguardian.com
Crypto exchange Binance may have funded Iranian entities, reports say
Internal investigators said at least two accounts allegedly saw $1.7bn move to Iranian-backed groupsShortly after Donald Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the Binance founder, last fall, company employees revealed the cryptocurrency exchange may have funded Iranian entities with billions of dollars, according to a report by the New York Times.The discovery was made by a group of internal Binance investigators, who reportedly found that people in Iran had accessed more than 1,500 accounts on the crypto platform. Two of those accounts allegedly saw $1.7bn move to Iranian-backed groups that included Yemen’s Houthi militants throughout 2024 and 2025, according to the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Paramount Skydance sweetens bid for Warner Bros Discovery
WBD board says it is assessing revised offer as Paramount seeks to trump agreed offer by Netflix Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has said it is reviewing a sweetened takeover bid from Paramount Skydance but did not reveal details of what its board had asked to be Paramount’s “best and final offer” to attempt to derail Netflix.Last week, WBD, which has so far stuck to its binding agreement with Netflix, had given Paramount seven days to table its final offer to best the $82.7bn deal with the streaming company. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Orbital space race heats up in Arctic north
Europe lags far behind the US and China in orbital space launches, but new facilities are opening up.
theguardian.com
Progress on gender equality at top of UK’s biggest firms ‘achingly slow’
Average number of female FTSE 100 CEOs stalled at nine last year, the same number as 2024, review saysCampaigners have bemoaned the “achingly slow” progress made on gender equality at the top of Britain’s biggest businesses, as research showed blue-chip firms had missed key targets and there were only nine female bosses at FTSE 100 companies.The average number of female FTSE 100 chief executives did not move last year, according to the government-backed FTSE Women Leaders Review. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
US AI giant accuses Chinese rivals of mass data theft
Anthropic says three Chinese firms used ‘distillation’ technique to extract information from its Claude chatbotUS artificial intelligence company Anthropic said on Monday it had uncovered campaigns by three Chinese AI firms to illicitly extract capabilities from its Claude chatbot, in what it described as industrial-scale intellectual property theft. OpenAI leveled similar charges last month.Anthropic said DeepSeek, Moonshot AI and MiniMax used a technique known as “distillation” – using outputs from a more powerful AI system to rapidly boost the performance of a less capable one. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Trump threatens countries that 'play games' with existing trade deals
The threat comes after the Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Trump had exceeded his authority in enacting a sweeping global programme of tariffs.
cnbc.com
Cybersecurity stocks drop for a second day as new Anthropic tool fuels AI disruption fears
Cybersecurity stocks are the latest to see sell-off pressure as AI threatens to upend software companies.
theguardian.com
Channel 4’s Dirty Business is a clarion call to nationalise the water industry
As the drama shows, private firms no longer able to pollute the coast of England of Wales just switched to rivers instead There is a moment in Channel 4’s drama Dirty Business when Julie Maughan holds the body of her dead child and lets out an anguished cry. It is as brutal as it is compelling.Her eight-year-old daughter Heather had just died in hospital, two weeks after playing in the sea on the beach at Dawlish Warren in Devon, where she contracted E coli O157, a bug which comes from raw sewage. She became ill with diarrhoea and blood loss. Transferred to Bristol children’s hospital, her parents agreed to switch off her life-support machine after she suffered kidney failure and brain damage. Continue reading...
bbc.com
No 10 says ‘nothing off the table’ over new US tariffs as UK could be among worst hit
Downing Street says discussions are ongoing following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a 15% global tariffs.
theguardian.com
Palantir deals are a threat to our data rights as UK citizens | Letters
This US tech giant should not have been given NHS or Ministry of Defence contracts, writes Stephen Saunders. Plus a letter from Jan SavageFor 100 years, the UK government has led us through existential threats, including two world wars. But instead of resisting the latest threat to democratic accountability, it has welcomed it with open arms: Palantir Technologies (NHS deal with AI firm Palantir called into question after officials’ concerns revealed, 12 February).This polarising US surveillance giant provides data-fusion and AI platforms used by by the US for immigration enforcement and by Israel in the Gaza conflict. Its software amplifies state power through militarised analytics and opaque algorithms. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
No business like snow business: blizzard shuts down the north-east US – in pictures
As another major storm brings to the area up to 2ft of snow, people brave the weather to commute and shovel Continue reading...
bbc.com
Company director jailed over £7m airline parts fraud
The judge said the actions were a "more or less complete undermining" of rules designed to ensure passenger flights are safe.
theguardian.com
Telegraph suitor considers legal action against UK government over rival bid
Exclusive: Figures led by New York Sun owner may seek judicial review after restrictions lifted on DMGT offerFigures involved in a rival bid for the Telegraph are drawing up legal action against the government, after ministers gave the owner of the Daily Mail permission to take a significant step towards clinching its £500m takeover.The Telegraph titles, which include the daily and Sunday editions, have been in limbo for three years after previous owners, the Barclay family, lost control of them over huge unpaid debts. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Yorkshire Water fined over £700,000 for repeated sewage releases
Company admits three pollution events that killed fish and insects in Pools Brook country park near ChesterfieldA water company has been fined more than £700,000 for repeatedly releasing sewage into a stream.Yorkshire Water was issued with the penalty after pleading guilty to three offences of sewage pollution in Pools Brook country park near Chesterfield. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Wegovy and Ozempic owner dealt blow as next-gen weight-loss drug is labelled ‘obsolete’
Novo Nordisk’s shares fall sharply after testing of CagriSema falls short of investors’ expectationsBusiness live – latest updatesThe owner of Wegovy and Ozempic has suffered a significant setback, as its highly anticipated new weight-loss treatment was labelled “obsolete” after disappointing clinical trials.Novo Nordisk’s shares fell sharply on Monday after the results from testing the Danish company’s CagriSema drug fell short of investors’ expectations. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Progressive membership’: Ukraine’s economic resilience shows future for EU business tie-ups
Joint ventures on defence, green energy and telecoms suggest how country could join bloc in stages rather than wait for full statusWhen the first Ukrainian-designed drone to be made in a German factory rolled off the production line last month, Volodymyr Zelenskyy knew it marked a turning point for the economy.With drone-making joint ventures also well advanced in Finland and Denmark, war-torn Ukraine has shown how its businesses can adapt and break out of their bomb-threatened domestic confines, becoming more integrated into the EU’s industrial network with each passing day. Continue reading...
bbc.com
When is the Spring Statement and what might be in it?
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will give an update on her plans for the UK economy when she gives a statement alongside an economic forecast on 3 March.
bbc.com
Unlicensed betting firms face sponsorship ban
Gambling firms not licensed in the UK could be banned from sponsoring British sports teams - including Premier League clubs - as part of a government crackdown.
bbc.com
Netflix boss defends bid for Warner Bros as Paramount deadline looms
Ted Sarandos says his company's offer is better for industry growth as it is "buying assets we don't currently have".
cnbc.com
Oil pulls back as U.S.–Iran talks set to resume: Here’s where negotiations stand
Tensions have remained on high alert throughout the Middle East for weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated a strike on Iran could be imminent.
bbc.com
Porn company fined £1.35m by Ofcom over age check failings
Ofcom's £1.35m fine on 8579 LLC is the largest it has levied under the Online Safety Act so far.
theguardian.com
If AI makes human labor obsolete, who decides who gets to eat?
Amid talk of artificial intelligence taking our jobs, the big unasked question is: how will we be fed?How will we be fed? That’s the biggest question not seriously being addressed amid all this talk about whether or not artificial intelligence will end up taking over all of our jobs.Formidable though the technology appears, similar fears have popped up repeatedly since the Industrial Revolution, and most working-age adults remain employed. Still, what is sorely missing is a serious debate about what to do if this future in fact materializes. Continue reading...
bbc.com
What now for Asia after Trump's tariffs struck down?
After the Supreme Court ruling, Trump said he would impose new levies of 15% on goods entering the US.
theguardian.com
‘We’re hungry, there are no jobs’: a South African township’s desperate gold rush
A rumour on social media brought dozens of fortune seekers to a field on the outskirts of mining town SpringsIn a township 30 miles east of Johannesburg, a mechanical digger filled in holes in the dark brown earth, bringing to an end a brief but intense gold rush that saw dozens of fortune seekers descend on what was once a cattle field.Less than two weeks ago, a rumour spread like wildfire on social media: someone had found gold while digging a hole for a fence post in a field on the edge of Gugulethu, an informal settlement of dirt roads and metal shacks on the outskirts of mining town Springs. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Wickes kitchen fitting was a recipe for disaster
I’ve been without a hob in my new kitchen for three months after an emergency engineer was forced to disconnect itWhen Wickes installed my new kitchen, I noticed an odd, worsening smell that I put down to the ongoing works.It was nearly two months later that I realised it was gas. My supplier dispatched an emergency engineer, who discovered a leak in the newly fitted hob and categorised it as an immediate danger. The gas supply to the hob was disconnected and Wickes sent a replacement, but no one came to install it. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'It's cheaper to ship gluten-free food from the UK'
A Guernsey mum is calling for cheaper and a greater choice of gluten-free foods for her family.
theguardian.com
Meet the Australian farmer planning to get the US hooked on camel milk – video
After a decade of supplying the domestic camel milk market from a 130-hectare (320 acre) farm in south-east Queensland’s Scenic Rim, owner Paul Martin wants to start supplying the product to the United States. He hopes to export 60,000 litres this year – the first shipment in what he believes could one day become a major new commodity for the country. Guardian Australia's Joe Hinchliffe visited Martin's farm – one of the first commercial camel dairies in Australia – to learn how you milk a camel, and what its milk tastes like How an Australian farmer is planning to get US consumers hooked on camel milk Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Go to university! No, get a trade! How can young people survive when all the paths are landmined? | Jason Okundaye
Is it to be a degree and heavy debt when graduate jobs are shrinking? Or forgoing a degree, knowing society still worships them? Confused, angry: who wouldn’t beSome months ago, I was at my old university, speaking to prospective sixth-form and college students about taking a degree in the arts and what future careers they could expect. It was a cohort of teenagers from underrepresented backgrounds: all of them had that glint of ambition in their eyes, a desire to better their circumstances. After the talk, they showed me their precocious LinkedIn profiles already advertising their talents to future employers. I expected them to ask what would be of more value out of a degree in the arts or Stem, but I was unprepared for something more bracing: whether it was worth them going to university at all.It is a question that keeps on rearing its head, as the graduate recruitment crisis and crippling student debts paint a picture of a pursuit with diminished returns. Those of us in the orbit of young people increasingly wonder whether we can, in good conscience, encourage them to go and get a degree. The options being presented increasingly look like snake oil, so is it any wonder that young people feel disillusioned and deceived?Jason Okundaye is an assistant Opinion editor at the Guardian Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Why are homegrown apples in the UK more expensive than imported bananas?
From flooding in Peru to the fight for fair wages, a lot more goes into the price of fruit than what supermarkets charge consumers forWhy have apples increased so much in price in the UK? They seem much more expensive than bananas, even though many are homegrown, and so don’t have to travel halfway around the world.It seems bananas (sorry) that fruit grown in the country where it is being sold costs more than produce which has been shipped thousands of miles. But, unlike other goods, such as petrol, the price we pay at the supermarket for fresh food has become detached from the cost of getting it there. Continue reading...
bbc.com
How budget fast fashion is taking small-town India by storm
More Indians in small towns are now shopping for affordable brands instead of unlabelled goods in the bazaars.
bbc.com
Are you cut out for living and working in Antarctica?
Jobs are available on the icy continent for chefs, plumbers, carpenters and even hairdressers.
theguardian.com
Tories would scrap ‘debt trap’ of high interest student loans, says Kemi Badenoch
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson suggests priority is grants for poorer students rather than cutting interestKemi Badenoch has said the Conservatives would scrap the “unfair debt trap” of high interest rates on student loans, piling pressure on Labour ministers to tackle the growing outrage over the high costs.The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, admitted the system of plan 2 loans had “problems” but suggested the government’s priority would be maintenance grants for poorer students, rather than tackling the high interest rates. Continue reading...
bbc.com
The uncertainties facing businesses and consumers after Trump's tariff changes
Businesses say questions remain after US President Donald Trump announced he will impose global tariffs of 15%.
theguardian.com
The world order we’re leaving behind may be replaced by no order at all | Eduardo Porter
In the world being ushered in by Trump, power will prevail over cooperation. We will come to rue having taken this pathThe Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, inspired a wave of enthusiastic nodding among the cosmopolitan crowd gathered in Davos last month when he took to the podium and proclaimed that the world order underwritten by the United States, which prevailed in the west throughout the postwar era, was over.The organizing principle that emerged from the ashes of the second world war, that interdependence would promote world peace by knitting nations’ interests together in a drive for common security and prosperity, no longer works. The US blew it up. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Funding approved to reduce cold deaths
Citizens Advice's Warm and Well scheme in North Yorkshire will receive the money over three years.
theguardian.com
Trump’s trade war risks undermining his hopes of hefty US interest rate cuts | Graeme Wearden
Upping tariffs may have lifted the president’s mood but it is a headache for the Federal Reserve and its next chairDonald Trump and Denis Healey don’t have much in common. One of the greatest prime ministers Britain never had shares little of his famous hinterland with what some historians see as one of the worst occupants of the White House.But Trump would be well advised to remember Healey’s first law of holes – when you’re in one, stop digging Continue reading...
bbc.com
Trump says he will increase his new global tariffs to 15%
After most of his tariffs were outlawed on Friday, Trump announced new global tariffs of 10% - which he says he has now increased to 15%.
bbc.com
Key social issues identified in charity report
Each year, Citizens Advice selects social policy areas for analysis based on its clients' issues.
bbc.com
MPs to discuss inquiry into trade envoy role after Andrew arrest
A cross-party committee will also look into the appointment and accountability of UK trade envoys.
bbc.com
'It is a catastrophe' - the man battling to stem rising youth unemployment
Alan Milburn returns to his hometown of Newcastle as he undertakes a review into the growing numbers of young people out of work.
theguardian.com
Don’t be fooled by recent good news, the UK economy is still in a precarious state
Labour MPs may clamour for bolder spending, but – like their Tory and Reform counterparts – they ask for the unaffordableToo many Labour MPs want it all, and no amount of pleading from the top of government about the depleted public finances seems to make a difference.The mainly leftist MPs want all the wrongs of the last 15 years put right and quickly. Their next opportunity to demand more cash arrives when Rachel Reeves delivers her spring statement on 3 March. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
US farmers are rejecting multimillion-dollar datacenter bids for their land: ‘I’m not for sale’
Families are navigating the tough choice between unimaginable riches and the identity that comes with landWhen two men knocked on Ida Huddleston’s door last May, they carried a contract worth more than $33m in exchange for the Kentucky farm that had fed her family for centuries.According to Huddleston, the men’s client, an unnamed “Fortune 100 company”, sought her 650 acres (260 hectares) in Mason county for an unspecified industrial development. Finding out any more would require signing a non-disclosure agreement. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Doubling down on meat’: is the UK’s love affair with vegetarian food over?
McDonald’s, Wagamama and others scale back plant-based choices in the UK in favour of ‘high-margin’ meat-led dishesIn 2021, vegetarianism and veganism were booming and menus reflected it. Restaurants and fast-food chains rapidly expanded their meat-free offerings, racing to meet growing demand from diners. McDonald’s launched its first plant-based burger, joining a wave of operators embracing non-meat options.Fast forward to 2026 and the landscape looks markedly different. Last month, the fast food chain announced it was axing most of its vegetarian range – sparing only its McPlant burger – owing to weak sales. Wagamama has removed some vegan dishes from its menu, while Domino’s has also scaled back its plant-based options. The final Veggie Pret, a standalone concept store from the high street sandwich chain that started in 2016, closed in February 2024. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Is £70 becoming harder to justify? The rise of cheaper blockbuster games
As top games such as GTA 6 are speculated to cost $100 (£74), some developers are deliberately pricing lower.
theguardian.com
Trump announces 10% global tariff after supreme court ruling – video
The US president says he will impose a 10% global tariff after the supreme court found his current use of tariffs illegal blocked it. Trump called the decision a disgrace Continue reading...
bbc.com
UK agrees drone defence plan with four EU allies
The scheme will seek to take inspiration from Ukraine's drone manufacturing programme.
bbc.com
Trump tariffs ripped up global trade order. What now?
If you think the Supreme Court ruling heralds a return to pre-Trump business as usual - think again.
bbc.com
KFC, Nando's, and others ditch chicken welfare pledge
Wingstop, Burger King, and others have walked away from an industry commitment to avoid using fast-growing chickens
theguardian.com
‘It’s survival of the fittest’: the UK kebab chain seeking an edge with robot slicers
German Doner Kebab aims to open at 25 new sites this year with self-service screens and healthy options aimed at gen Z They are already packing our groceries and delivering shopping. Now robots are coming to the kebab shop, alongside self-service screens and loyalty apps, as takeaways look for ways to tackle rising costs.German Doner Kebab (GDK), a perhaps surprisingly British-owned chain that has been springing up across the country, has turned to technology to keep its fast food business buzzing in the face of rising costs and tough times on the high street. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Lobbying firm co-founded by Mandelson goes into administration
Global Counsel's clients cut ties with the firm over Lord Mandelson's links with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
bbc.com
When the retail staff can't help you
This customer might be feeling trolled, in this scene from Small Prophets.
bbc.com
Higher tax helped UK government reach record January surplus
The government took in more from tax receipts than expected, official data suggests.
bbc.com
How do you modernise mango farming?
India's mango farmers are being urged to innovate as climate change makes cultivation "unpredictable".
bbc.com
The two farms in Senegal that supply many of the UK's vegetables
During winter in Britain fresh produce is sent by cargo ship from the West African nation every week.
bbc.com
Why youth unemployment is rising
Unemployment in the UK rose to its highest rate in nearly five years at the end of 2025
bbc.com
Netflix and Paramount are battling for Warner Bros. Who is likely to win?
What to know about the two firms' blockbuster battle to control Warner Bros Discovery.
bbc.co.uk
File on 4 Investigates
Can boxing do more to look after its fighters?
bbc.com
Reddit's human content wins amid the AI flood
Reddit says its human contributors are valued amid an internet awash with AI-generated content.
bbc.com
Trump eyes Venezuela visit – but obstacles to his oil plan remain
The US president wants American energy firms to start extracting the crude but they are reluctant.
bbc.com
Why you should consider switching bank accounts
Martin Lewis explains why now might be a good time to think about changing your bank account.
bbc.com
The US economy is growing - so where are all the jobs?
As hiring rates and job openings drop, some worry a tough job market could be here to stay.
bbc.com
Get a grip: Robotics firms struggle to develop hands
Developing a durable and affordable hand is one of the biggest challenges in robotics.
bbc.com
Who is billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and how did he make his money?
The industrialist and Manchester United co-owner has apologised over comments he made about immigration.
bbc.com
The Dutch love four-day working weeks, but are they sustainable?
The Netherlands has the lowest working hours in Europe, but some say it is harming its economy.
bbc.com
How £50m 'fish disco' could save farmland
Innovative tech scares fish away from nuclear cooling pipes.
bbc.com
Why food fraud persists, even with improving tech
Even with sophisticated technology it is still difficult to detect fake foods.
bbc.com
Plane makers chase Asia's super-rich with luxe new private jets
Parts of the aviation industry are shifting towards wealthy customers and selling a more luxurious type of international travel.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
bbc.com
Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
bbc.com
Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"
bbc.com
The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?
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